Gun recoil-operated ammunition feeding mechanism



April 8, 1947. D, w MOI-[NS ET AL 2,418,656

GUN RECOIL-OPERATED AMMUNITION FEEDING MECHANISM Filed May 25, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 8, 1947. D. w. MOLINS ET AL 2,418,656

GUN RECOIL-OPERATED AMMUNITION FEEDING MECHANISM Filed May 25, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 as WWW W 10mm.

April 8, 1947- D. w. MOLlNS ET AL 2,418,656

GUN RECOIL-OPERATED AMMUNITION FEEDING MECHANISM Filed May 25, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 GUN RECOIL-OPERATED AMMUNITION FEEDING MECHANISM L A n S m L O M W D Filed May 25, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 [1 Van/07:5 W MW fi gjtmlamv lam, 8.301019% April 8, 1947. 0. w. MOLINS ET AL 2,418,656

GUN RECOIL-OPERATED AMMUNITION FEEDING MECHANISM Filed May 25, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 firvez zZor Wit/MM. fi kf M] April 1947- D. w. MOLINS ET AL 2,418,656

GUN REGOIL-OPERATED AMMUNITION FEEDING MECHANISM Filed May 25, 1943 8 Sheets$heet 6 [kw-626 015 I April 8, 1947- D. w. MOLINS ET AL 2,418,656

GUN RECOIL-OPERATED AMMUNITION FEEDING MECHANISM Filed May 25, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet, 7

I I l u v I April 1947- D. w. MOLINS ET AL 2,413,656

GUN RECOIL-OPERATED AMMUNITION FEEDING MECHANISM Filed May 25, 1943 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patentecl Apr. 8, 1947 GUN RECOIL-OPERATED AMMUNITION FEEDING MECHANISM Desmond Walter Molins and Flix Frdric Ruau, London, England, assignors to Molins Machine (Company Limited, Deptford, London, England Application May 25, 1943, Serial No. 488,454 In Great Britain April 13, 1942' This invention concerns improvements in or relating to: gun.recoil-operated.ammunition feeding mechanism.

The inventionis directed, to that kind of ordnance which uses fixed ammunition (that is to say ammunition in which the projectile and charge are assembledas a single unit and hereinafter called a round?) and which has a semiautomatic breech, that is to say a breech, which is adapted to close. automatically on insertion of; a round and to open and; eject al spent cartridge case. For convenience, the term ordr nance willhereinafter bereferred to as a gun, and the term receiver will include magazine, hoppergorreceptacle, Suchordnance will be referred: to, hereinafter asa gun of the described.

Previous; proposals have been. made, for; providing automatic loading of rounds into the breechof a gun by placing the round one loading tray or support which is, during such placing or subsequently thereto, brought into alignment with the breech and the round rammed home bya separate In another prior proposal the support is placed behind the breech and the round dropped thereon, the support being so arranged that it is tipped downwardly when the round issupported by it so that the nose of the round is presented to the breech after which the round is rammed by a separate ram and caused to slide along the support.

In all cases where a loading support or tray is employed, the tray acts as a support and guide onwhich the round slides during ramming and has to bemoved. By means of the present invention automatic loading can be effectedwithout using a loading tray, and further, since-the rammer is, during recoil, moved behind the feedingstation, the mechanism can operate with any amount of recoil in excess of a minimum recoil needed to return, the rammer so that rounds of diiierent lengths, and charges may be used.

onwhich the rounds are trapped and by which r they are carried bodily down and forward into aiignment with the breech and then projected into the breech by the tray being suddenly arrestedsothat the rounds slide ofi thetray. In that case, however, the. tray is always behind. thebreech, and not aside the breechvand limits the amount ofpermissible recoil.

16 Claims. (C1. 8 933) According tothe present invention agun of'the; hind described comprises in combination, anam munition receiver relative to which the breech; moves during recoil and counter-recoil, a, feedingstation orposition which is located aside thebreech and behind the chamber-face and beside; which the breech moves during recoil, a rammer; spring urged towards the; breech and; adapted to be. withdrawn duringrecoil, and means to-co n trolthe-pathof the rammer inits'forward-movement iroma position at that end Of. said station which is remotefrom the breech andout of align-- ment with thebreech, to a position behind and; insubstantial alignment, with thepbreech, the; rammer being adapted to move into, supporting: engagement with theibase of a round at the, feeds ing station and to convey and control thebase; of the round during ramminggso as to bring-the base into alignment with the breech; the arrangement of the parts being such that for feeding; theround from the feeding station, thel-nose of; the round: is allowed passage for-presentation, to the'breech and is: caused to be presented to the breech by a swinging movement of the round: about its base and the base itself is carried and controlled as aforesaid by therammer and' the round rammed into the breech;

Further advantages obtained by means of the present invention become apparent from thedescription of the example shown in 1711921000111?" paying drawings. The gun according. to the-in? vention may comprise a carrier a pivoted element which is pivotally mounted on the carrier and which carries the rammer and rammer con-p: trol means(e. a. cam means) to oscillate the saidpivoted element so that during the recoil the rammer is carried behind a round at the'feedingi, stationandduring. the feeding stroke of:the-ram-- mer the rammeris caused to move into, substantial alignment with the axis ofthe barreliof the gun. A movable cam (e. g. a spring urgedihinged. cam)- may be provided whereby. the rammer; is held substantially, in alignment. withthe breech during the first part of therecoil toiavoid foulinga round in the feeding station, said cambeing sov arranged that on a ramming-r stroke it is displaced by the ramming device so as tobe inoperative, and afurther cam is in such case provided to swing said rammer into substantial ali nment with the breech during the latter portion of the running stroke. The rammer maybe connected to the carrier by an arrangement of parallel links, whereby its orientation is-maintained substantially constant. Amovable-device (e. g. a pivoted lever), maybe provided-to support the rear end of a round at the feeding station, said device being arranged in front of the rammer, when the latter is behind a round at the feeding station, whereby when the rammer moves in its ramming stroke it displaces said device to release the round and moves to support the base of the round.

Presser-means may be adapted to engage the nose of a round in position in the feeding station, and means movable in timed relationship with the ramming movement of the rammer may be adapted to cause said presser-means to displace the nose of the round so as to cause the nose to be presented to the breech.

Further, there may be provided stop means to hold the rammer against ramming movement during part at least of the counterrecoil, feeding means to deliver a round from the receiver to a feeding station, round-control means operative in timed relationship with the movement of the barrel to prevent premature feeding of a round to the feeding station, and means dependent on the counterrecoil to release said stop-means after delivery of a round to the feeding station, whereupon the rammer feeds the round into the breech, The stop-means may comprise a catch-member displaceable by a part movable with the rammer during withdrawal of the latter and adapted automatically to move back again when said part has moved past it so that it can engage and hold said part and the rammer against forward movement. The means to release said stop-mean may comprise an element operatively coupled to a part (e. g. a cam) adapted to recoil with the gun and so arranged that the stop-means is released by the counterrecoil.

The feeding means (e. g. spring urged feeding means) may cause rounds in the receiver to move towards the feeding station, and the said round-control means may comprise movable supports adapted to hold the leading round in the receiver away from the feeding station, and means may be provided to displace said movable supports so that the leading round can move into the feeding station and move at least one of said movable supports into a position to arrest movement of the following round.

The movements of one of the movable supports may be controlled by the action of a piv- I oted lever arranged to be turned about its pivot on movement of the barrel by a moving cam surface movable with the barrel. The last said movable support may comprise a reciprocated member arranged to be moved to release the leading round, said member on its return stroke operating to press the nose of said round so as to present it to the breech and thereby constitute presser-means. The said pivoted lever may be arranged to reciprocate a link member which controls the movement of at least one of the other movable supports, The nose of a round, in being presented to the breech, may be caused to move downwardly from the feeding station on to the breech block or other support, and a cushioning device may be provided to reduce the shock on the nose of a round as it moves from the feeding station on to the breech block or other support.

It is sometimes desired to move the rammer away from the breech by hand, before the gun is fired, for example for the purpose of initially loading the gun, or in order to clear a jam. The force exerted on the rammer by the spring mechanism is, however, of necessity very great, and it would therefore normally not be possible to Withdraw the rammer by hand against this force. It is a further object of the invention to provide means whereby the rammer may be withdrawn by hand to its full extent. To achieve this object a disconnectable coupling may be provided between the rammer and its driving springs, said coupling being so arranged as to enable the rammer to be disconnected from said springs so as to be movable independently thereof. The coupling may comprise a spring latch device.

An automatic gun constructed in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings which show the application of the invention to a six-pounder gun arranged to fire fixed ammunition.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a sixpounder field gun showing the application of the invention thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of part of Figure 1 taken in the direction of the arrow A and shows the ramming mechanism.

Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end view of part of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrow B.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of part of Figure 1 taken in the direction of the arrow C and shows the magazine and round feeding mechanism.

Figure 6 is a plan of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an end view of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrow D.

Figure 8 is a sectional view of Figure 5 on the line 3-8.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a detail.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the breech showing a cushioning device.

Figure 11 is a side elevation of part of the breech block showing a round retaining device.

Figure 12 is a front elevation of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a plan of part of Figure 12.

Figure 14 shows part of a plate fixed on top of the breech.

Figure 15 is a view of part of Figure 2 showing certain parts more clearly.

Figure 16 is a view of part of Figure 2 showing certain parts more clearly.

Figure 17 is a view of part of Figure 3 broken away and partly in section to show certain parts more clearly.

Like references refer to like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings, and in addition to the references indicating parts, the following references are used: B. F. (breech face); C-F (chamber face); C-C (centre line of gun barrel); C. T. (centre line of trunnions).

Referring to the drawings, the general arrangement of the gun will be described with reference to Figure 1, after which the various devices will be described in more detail with reference to the remaining views.

In Figure 1 there is'shown part of a gun on a field mounting I, the barrel 2 which is slidably mounted on a cradle being also indicated. A recoil spring is provided in the usual manner for urging the barrel forwardly on the cradle which is provided, as usual, with trunnions journalled in bearings on the mounting. The non-recoiling part or cradle of the gun is marked 3, the breech ring l and the vertically slidable breech block 5. The breech block is opened automatically towards the end of the counterrecoil by a roller, not visible in the figure but shown at 393, Figure 5, which engages a cam 263. It may be opened manually by a hand lever 204 normally retained ina latch or gate 265.

The cam. 203 is. supported on a pin 483:, Figure 5, which is fixed to the cradle 3,, while the parts 294 and 205 are attached to the breech-ring 4, the term breech being reserved throughout the specification and claims for the whole assembly of breech-ring and breech-block.

The breech is adapted in :a known manner, on the insertion of a round, to close automatically by an upward movement of the breech block, and the firing of the round may be arranged to take place automatically by means of a bell crank lever so arranged that one end is engaged by the sliding breech block at the limit of its travel, the other end engaging the firing pin. In such a case on complete closure of the breech-the firing pin is pressed and strikes the percussion cap at the base of the round- A loading mechanism support 6 is fixed to the cradle and a similar support 206, Figure 5, not visible in Figure 1, is also fixed at the other side of the gun.

On the top of the supports there are fixed two channel members 7 and 8 disposed parallel to the gun axis which serve as supports for other parts of the devices, while the member 8 which is provided with guide rails 2-98, see Figures 2 and 8, also forms a guide for a slide or carrier .9 which supports two pivoted arms it and i i, the other ends of which support a ram-mer i2 for ramming rounds into the breech. The member 1 :also has a guide rail 2H1 fixed on it. A slide 2119., see Figures 3 and 7, fixed to the breechring slides on this rail to help to support the member '5 and preserve its alignment during firing tor it will be appreciated that the shocks are violent and the breech is amply supported for alignment in its movements during recoil and counter-recoil. and can therefore assist in supporting the relatively light structure I. The carrier 9 is resiliently urged towards the muzzle of the gun by springs contained within a pair of tubes |-3 fixed to the channel 8 by a clamp l4 and having their inner ends supported by a block 15 also fixed to the channel. The rammer I 2 comprises a plate having four forwardly projecti-ngfingers or pins 2K3, 214, 215 and 2E6, see Figures 2 and 4, which are adapted to straddle the base of a round when feeding the round into the breech of the gun. The links 18 and H are so arranged and controlled that the rammer can move from a position behind. a round at the feeding station, indicated generally by the reference it (Figure l), to a position in substantial alignment with the axis of the gun 7.

barrel. The link H has a further lever i? fixed to it the fiat end of which is adapted at times to engage a cam t8 fixed by two brackets :Bl, Figures 2, 3 and i to the channel 8, and a further cam I 9 fixed to the breech ring 4 co-operates with the link i I, the whole arrangement being such that the rammer is raisedxbehindqa round at the feeding station during recoil and is lowcred during the ramming stroke, as will be lmore' particularly described with reference to the other figures.

' The rounds are placed in a horizontal magazine located aside and behind the breech and indicated generally by the reference it, and urged towards the feeding station or position by a spring pressed arm 21. It will be observed that the feeding station is above and behind the breech, but the term aside when used herein and in the claims in connection with the location of the feeding station relative to the breech,

6 includes any position out of alignment with the breech so that when the barrel recoils the breech does not foul a round at the feeding station.

A few other important features are indicated by references in Figure l but are described later with reference to other figures.

Referring to Figures 2, 3 and 4, the rammcr i2 is shaped as shown in the figures, and is arranged with its open end directed horizontally and pointing in the direction in which a round is fed into the breech from the feeding station of the magazine. In Figure 2 the mechanism is shown with its parts in the position. occupied when a round, the base of which is shown in chain lines and marked R, has just been fed into the gun which is now ready for firing. The round R comes to rest against the chamberf ace, C-F. Other positions assumed by the round during the feeding movement are also shown in chain lines in Figure 2 and marked X and Y respectively, and these will be referred to again when the action of the device is described. The position marked Z may be occupied when loading by hand in the first instance, as described later when the operation of the gun is discussed. The rammer, the carrier, the rammer links and the cam ii are also all, shown in chain lines in -other positions which they occupy during the recoil and counterrecoil, and these positions will he referred to. again when the operation is being described. As the rammer in its instant position, that to the right of the figure, is somewhat obscured by other parts, it; is also shown in full lines in Figure 15.

The links It and l I which support the :rammer are attached to the carriage or slide 9 by means of pins 22, 2,3 and 24, the-pin .24 being also connected to the pin 23 by means of ashort stifiening plate 25.

The slide or carrier 9 is. provided with an upstanding lug which is bevelled at one end as indicated by the. shading to form a sharpedged abutment, see also Figure 3, which is arranged to engage on. the recoil of the gun with stop-means comprising a catch or stop member .21 as is best seen in Figure 3, is constructed as a pivoted pawl, see also Figure 6. The purpose of this catch member is to hold the carrier at the end of the recoil in its withdrawn position until the breech has almost completed the run-out when other devices cause the catch to release the carrier as will be more fully described later. On the carrier 9 there is also pivoted on the pin 24 a catch member 28. This iember is provided with a hook or pawl 29 which normally engages, under the pressure of a torsion spring 228., with an abutment 3!] fixed on a clock it, see also Figure 16, which couples togather the ends of two rods 32 surrounded by springs 3-3 contained within the barrels IS in such manner that. when the block 31 is moved to the left, the springs are compressed. The spring is-adjustahle but the adjustment is not shown on the It is however identical with that of a spring 255.4 described later.

On. the is there is. fixed a pivot pin 34 on which is mounted a lever 3.5 provided with a pivot 3:5 on which-a cam roller 3'; is rotatable. The left hand end of the lever 35 in Figures and provided with a notch 33 suitably shaped for co-operation with a depending lug 33 formed on the slide 9. A thin cover plate 49 is fitted on the end of the lever 35 to help in securing register between the notch and the ing. A torsion spring 236 surrounds a boss 335 formed on the lever 35 and surrounding the pivot 34 and normally keeps the notch and abutment in engagement. This spring can be adjusted by inserting one end in any one of the holes shown in the base plate of the pivot pin 34. A tail 235 on the lever 35 engages the base of a bracket 384 fixed to the top of the breech ring 4 and forms a stop limiting the movement of the lever under the action of the spring. The lever pivot is best shown in Figure 17. As the gun recoils, the lever 35 moves to the left in Figure 2 with the cam I9, and thus carries the slide or carrier 9 to the left against the tension of the springs 33 owing to the engagement of the pawl 29 with the abutment 30. The slide 9 is shown in chain lines at the left of the figure in the position where it is held by the catch 21, but during recoil it may travel slightly farther than this towards the left owing to the momentum of the moving parts, but on return movement to the right under the tension of the springs 33 it will be arrested by the catch 21 in the position shown. The lever 35 as aforesaid engages with the abutment 39 on the slide and carries the latter to the left, but when the slide has reached a position in the neighbourhood of the chain line position, the roller 31 engages with a cam strip 4| which is fixed to the bottom web of the channel 3. This' causes the lever to move slightly anti-clockwise on its pivot against the action of the spring 234, and thus disengage the notch 38 from the abutment or lug 39 on the carrier 9. This arrangement just described ensures that the carrier and rammer move to substantially the same position every time the gun is fired and if for any reason (e. g. a heavier charge) the recoil should be greater, the carrier will be nevertheless disengaged from the recoiling parts of the same position of the recoil stroke.

During the travel of the slide and rammer to the left the cylindrical surface of a stud 42, which is fixed on the lever l'l, engages with the lower surface of a movable cam comprising a hinged cam plate 43 which is pivoted by a spindle 44 mounted in fixed brackets 45 and provided with a torsion spring 56 which normally keeps the cam t3 vertically disposed, see Figure 4. The cam 43 is also provided with a bent or curved portion 2413, see Figures 3 and 4, which forms a lead for the fiat face of the stud 42 on the return stroke so that the flat face of the stud on the return stroke first engages the extremity of the curved portion and on further movement towards the breech causes the hinged cam 43 to swing outwards around the axis of the spindle 44, the curved part 243 thus functioning as a cam to cause a fairly smooth swinging movement of the cam 43. Owing to the engagement of the cylindrical surface of the stud 42 and the cam 43 the rammer I2 is held substantially in alignment with the breech during a substantial part of the recoil. That is, the rammer l2 and the links l and H are maintained in the same positions relatively to the slide 9 during their movement to the leit imtil such time as the slide is disengaged from the lever 35 (i. e. about the position shown in Figure 2 where the round is marked Z). When this takes place the slide 9 comes to rest almost immediately, and is held by the catch 21, but the disengagement between the cylindrical surface of the stud 42 and cam 43 permits the links ID and H to swing clockwise as viewed in Figure 2 on their pivots by their inertia so that the rammer is carried upwards and reaches the extreme left hand position shown in chain lines where it is held by a catch device described later. The up-' ward movement of the links ID and II is partly due to their momentum, and partly to the pressure of the cam I9 which engages the link II and in the recoil may move as far as the position shown in chain lines in the figure. The contour of the cam may be varied to suit different recoils obtained under varying conditions (e. g. different classes of rounds) by fixing narrow cam pieces having different contours thereto.

It will be understood that the upward movement of the links In and I l and the rammer takes place with very great speed and force, and it is necessary to provide some means for absorbing the shock due to this movement. For this purpose there is provided a shock absorber or damping device 41 which is fixed to a cross-member AB which connects the channels I and 8 together. The shape of the damping device can be easily seen from a comparison between Figures 1, 2 and 4, and it consists of a metal frame-work, the members of which are coupled together by a resilient material indicated by hatching, the whole comprising a shock absorber of the type known as a silent bloc. Inside the shock absorber there is fitted a solid block 49 which acts as a stop to prevent the shock absorber itself from too violent a movement when stopping the links and rammer. On the cross-member 48 there are also attached two metal blocks 50 and 5| which provide further devices for arresting the movement of the rammer and links. The block 5?] afiords a stop or support for the shock absorber, and the block 5| serves to arrest part of the rammer itself. With these devices the rammer is checked in the desired manner, and as the rammer swings upwards a tail or lug 212 thereon passes by a sprung catch-member 52 which is pivoted on a pin 53 which is journalled in a bearing block 54 attached to the cross-member and is engaged thereby as explained at the end of the paragraph. Around the pin there is arranged a torsion spring 55, see Figures 2, 3 and 4, which can be adjusted by means of a series of holes in the end of the pin 53, see Figure 4, the pin being held against rotation by a small pin or screw I55, Figures 3 and 4, which is inserted through any desired one of the holes and passes into a further hole in the bearing 54. The catch 52 moves on its pivot against the action of the spring 55 as the lug 2|2 strikes against the catch on the upward swing of the rammer and then moves in again and holds the rammer in position by engaging the lug.

It wil1 be seen from Figures 2 and 4 that the ledge which forms the actual catch of the catchmember 52 is oblique with respect to the horizontal, and the rammer will thus be led into the position shown in chain lines at l2b when the rammer starts to move forwardly again. An abutment is fixed to the member 8 and by engaging with part of the link In restricts this movement and prevents the rammer from rising too far for it will be understood that the various parts move rather violently under the action of considerable forces.

The catch or stop member 21 which, as aforesaid, is in the form of a pivoted pawl is pivoted on a pin 55 which is integral with a bracket 51 fixed to the inner side of the channel 8. A torsion spring 58 surrounds the spindle and the strength of this spring may be adjusted by turning the clamp collar 53 around the pin 56. Thus the catch-member is normally urged by the spring to rotate clockwise (Figure 3), but the extent ans-ass '9 ofmovementds 'limitedby the engagement of a tail (it on the end of the'catch-member which engages a bracket tI fixed to the frame. As previously explained the carriageyon moving to the left, slips by the catch-member and the latter immediately springs out and holds the carriage against the reverse movement. In order to release the carrier so that the rammer is able to ram a round into the breech, means are provided for releasing the catch-member 21 by rotating it about the axis of the pin 56. This means,

noting Figures 2, 3, and 6, comprises an abutment 52 formed on a block 53 which is attached to a rod t extending towards the breech of the gun. The other end of the rod is screwed into a fork 65 which is pivoted, by means of a pin 85, to the free end of a crank 'or lever 61 whichis journalled at its other end on a cross-shaft 68 mounted in bearings 69 and 'm'fixed to'the channels "I and 8 respectively. The crank 51 is periodically oscillated as described later by means of cams which travel with the recoiling parts ofthegun so that each time the gun is fired the lever is rocked one way on the recoil, and in the opposite way on the couhterrecoil.

The block 63 issupported by a lever II to which itis pivoted by means of a pin 72, the other end of the lever being pivoted on a pin '13 which is journalled in cheeks or extensions "M formed on the bracket 5i. The block 33 moves to the left a short time before the completion of the counterr'ecoil of the gun, and consequently the abutment 52 strikes against a co-operziting part '55 of the catch-member 2 and causes it to rotate anti-clockwise as viewed in Figure 3-, thus releasing'the carrier of the rammer.

The catch 28 previously referred to forms a disconnectable coupling between the abutment 33 and the carrier 9, the abutment 36 being connected as previousl explained to the springs The purpose of this arrangement is that when it is desired to withdraw the ram manually, for example when the gun is first loaded or if anything such as a misfire occurs, it is quite impossible to do this against the tension of the springs 33, so by lifting the hook 29 out of engagement with the abutmenttfl, the carrier'and the rammer can be withdrawn, the round inserted manually into the breech, and when the carrier is again pushed forward to its fullest extent the catch slides over the abutment and under the action of the spring 228 forms a locking engagement between the springs and the carrier. The member 28 is provided with an extension lever'l-fi to which is attached a hand lever 11 whereby the disengagement of the parts 28 and 30 may be efiected. In addition the member 28 has an upward 'extension 18, the end of which is turned over-at right angles, and if desired the disconnection can be made by moving the lever 28 by means of this extension. The said extension, which is painted-a distinctive colour, also indicates to a gunner who happens to be on the left hand side or the gun that the coupling between the springs and the carrier is actually made.

As mentioned previously the various parts of the mechanism move with extreme rapidity and force and supplementary devices are provided for ensuring the operation of the parts should the springs fail to operate or become sluggish. For instance a cam or ramp 19, Figures 2, 3 and 4, fixed to the bottom of the member 8, is provided to operate the lever at the end of the run-out should the spring 234 fail to move it sharply enough. Again a spring bolt or abutment 82 the noses of the rounds in the magazine-are slidably'mounted'on thecatel urgedout- Wardly by a sprin er, FiguresS and 6, is struck by the left-hand'end, "Figure 2,'of the abutment 2E and moves the catch'21 into engagement with the sharp edge of the abutment 26 of the carrier if the spring 58 does not swing the catch'fl back quickly enough as the slide 9 moves byo'n recoil.

The 'm'aga'zine and feeding arrangements :for the rounds areshow'nin'detail in Figures 5,6, 7 and 8. In these views somerounds are shown in chain lines and bothshort and long types-of projectile are shown for each round. The magazine comprises two upper bars or guides I5}! and IGI and'two corresponding lower-guides 19:2 and, I03, and a side guide I0 3. These are'supported by various straps and brackets, as seen best in Figure 6,'fixed on brackets or plates I05 and I06 extending from'the channel I. The rounds are disposed within the magazine as indicated in Figure 1, and the magazine islarge enough to hold six roun'd'sin a horizontalrow. The magazine-is so arranged'that when the run-out is completed,

slightly behind the-plane "of'the chamber face.

The rounds are urged over towards the teeding position I6 by the spring-operated arm 2| previously mentioned which is pivoted at IE)? on a post I08 extending upwards from the bearing bracket '69 "for the cross-shaft 58. The arm 2| has a further short arm I0 9 attachedto it which is linked'by a pin IIll'to afork III attachedtoa rod H2. This rod reciprocates in a barrel H3 which is pivoted at H4 to a further post 5 attached near the extreme end of the channel I.

; Inside the barrel there is a compressionspring Ilia and the rod II2 has aheadI'I l atone end so that when the levers 2| and I09 rotate clockwise onthepost I08, as viewed in Figure 6, the spring is compressed. h r I, V

At the free end of the arm 2! there is-attached a roller Ii8'which engages with the outer round in the magazine and presses all the rounds towards the feeding position under the influence of the spring H6. The roller is arranged as shown in Figure 5, and mounted on a pm I I9 which has a head I28 pivoted on a cylindrical extension I ZI on the arm 2I. A torsion spring I22 surrounds the cylindrical extension and normally keeps the roller in "a vertical position. On the end of the extension I2I there is fixed a collar I23 having a dog formed thereon which engages with a similarly shaped part on the head I20 of the roller pin, see Figure 5.

When the roller is pressing against the round the engagement of the co-operating surfaces of the dogs maintains the roller in the vertical position, but when the roller has fed the last round into the feeding position and fresh rounds are placed in the magazine, the arm 2| may be withdrawnmanually so that the roller once more engages the outer round in the magazine, and during this movement the roller pin swin'gsaround on the cylindrical extension against the action of the to'rs'io'n spring and trips over the upper surfaces of the "fresh rounds. M

The cross-shaft 68 previously referred to has mounted thereon a sleeve I24 on which two levers I 25 are formed carrying cam rollers I25 which engage with two plate cams I27 formed on a plate I28 which is fixed to the top of the breech ring 4, and thus as the breech moves to and frdon recoil and counter recoil the roller levers are caused to move up and down and impart the necessary rocking movement to the crank 61 which is fixed to said sleeve. A torsion spring 84 is provided and attached to the crank 51, the arrangement being such that the spring is loaded when the sleeve I24 is moved anticlockwise, as viewed in Figure 5.

When the crank 51 is to move clockwise it operates under the pressure of the spring, but the cams ensure a positive action if the spring fails to act promptly enough. This movement of the crank causes the rod 64 previously mentioned to move to and fro and release the rammer carrier at the desired time, but in addition the movement of the rod causes a plate or finger I34 fixed on the block 63 to operate a movable support comprising a catch or rim check pawl I29 in the magazine. This catch, which is shaped as shown in the perspective view, Figure 9, is pivoted on a pin I30 mounted between a bracket I3I fixed on the cross-member 48 and the horizontal member of an angle bracket I32 which is fixed to the guide IOI of the magazine. The catch serves to separate the rims of two neighbouring rounds, as will be more fully explained hereafter, and under the action of a torsion spring I33 it tends to move clockwise, as seen in Figure 6, each time it has been pressed back by the finger I34 and as a. round moves on one stage towards the feeding position.

. It is therefore necessary to release the catch for each feeding movement, and this is effected by the plate or extension I34, whose end is shaped as shown in Figure 6. The finger periodically engages with a flat surface I35 on the catch and releases it from engagement with the rim of a round at the desired time.

On the sleeve I24 there is also mounted pressermeans to engage the nose of a round in the feeding position comprising a depresser lever I 36 hav ing a downwardly pointing nose, see Figure 5. In this figure the lever I36 is shown for clearness much higher than its true position with respect to the other parts. The nose should actually be in its lowest position which ma be seen by reference to Figure 8, where the highest and lowest positions in a particular case are shown in 12 position shown in the drawings. As a round is being fed towards the breech the pawl is struck by the lower right hand pin 2I6 of the rammer (as viewed in Figure 4) and twisted round against the action of the spring so that the cartridge case is released and immediately straddled or located within the four pins of the rammer. The pawl may be moved manually, e. g. when testing the mechanism, by a knurled nut I44 fixed at the top of the spindle I42, and a stop I45, also fixed to the spindle I 42, Figure 3, and having two lugs limits the movement to 90.

full and chain lines respectively. The lever also acts as a movable support or wall in the magazine so that as each round in turn arrives in the position before the actual feeding position, the nose of the round is intercepted by the nose of the lever, and the round cannot therefore move into the feeding position until the lever rises. As the lever rises the round is urged forwards into the feeding position by the pressure of the arm 2I and the succeeding downward movement of the lever pushes down the nose of the round in the feeding position, after which the lever rises and holds up the succeeding round. As the nose of the round is pressed downwards it is guided by a guide I46 attached to the channel member 9, see Figures 6 and 8.

Another movable support comprising a catch or stop is also fitted in the vicinity ofthe stop I29, and this comprises a downwardly depending pawl I31 which is pivoted at I38 on the vertical member of the angle bracket I32. A torsion spring I40 tends to move the pawl clockwise, as viewed in Figure 7, and during the passing of a round the pawl moves to the position shown in said figure, springing back to the left as the round settles properly into the feeding position. The rim of the cartridge case of the round in the feeding position is held by the guide I03 and by a movable de vice comprising a pivoted lever or pawl I4I, see Figure 7. This pawl is fixed to a spindle I42 journalled in the cross-member 48 and the cam 4| (see Figure 4) and is provided with a torsion spring; I43 which normally retains the pawl in the In order to enable the mechanism to deal with rounds of varying lengths, for example similar cartridge cases furnished with projectiles of different lengths such as the short nosed and long nosed projectiles indicated in some of the views, there is provided a breech extension piece I5 I, Figures 5 and 7, of trough like form, the curvature of which corresponds to that of the breech block.

The top of the breech ring 4 is provided with a nose support plate I50 on to which the nose of the projectile first falls during the feeding movement, and this is recessed as shown at 250 in Figure 14 to accommodate said nose. The plate I50 also forms the support for the plate I29 on which the cams I21 are formed.

Other minor details of the construction will be mentioned in the following description of the operation of the gun.

The gun is operated in the following manner: The hand lever 204 is first disengaged from the gate 205 and pulled downwards, thus causing the breech block to move down and open the breech. Then the hand lever TI is depressed (moved to the right in Figure 2) to break the disconnectable coupling 2930 and the carrier 9 and rammer I2 manually drawn back, e. g. to the chain line position, Figure 2, where the round is marked Z. The nose of a round is rested on the breech extension piece I5I and the base of the cartridge case placed within the pins 2I3, 2I4, 2I5 and 2I6 of the rammer. The rammer is then pushed forwards manually with sufiicient force to ensure that the round goes fully home, when the extractors close the breech in the usual manner. This movement of the rammer will also cause the disconnectable coupling 29-30 to engage so that the carrier 9 is locked to the abutment 30 of the spring device. This engagement can be checked visually by observing the position of the part I8 of the catch 28.

The magazine is then filled and the arm 2! drawn back, the roller H8 and pin II 9 turning about the axis of the extension I2I until the roller is clear of the last round in the magazine. The gun is now ready to fire which is done by pulling a firing lever or lanyard.

When the gun fires, the cam I9 which is fixed to the breech-ring 4, the carrier 9, the lug 39 of which is in engagement with the notch 38 of the lever 35, and the rammer I2 which is coupled to the carrier 9 by the links I0 and II, the latter being in contact with the edge of the cam I9, all move back away from the trunnions with the recoiling parts until the carrier has been moved past the catch 21. At about that time the lever 35 on the cam I9 is disengaged by the cam 4| from the carrier so that the latter comes to rest and is held against return movement by the catch 21. A stop I52 intercepts the abutment 26 and limits the extreme left hand position of the carrier when recoiling. The rammer continues its recoil movement partly b momentum and partly by pressure of the cam I9 on the link I I so that the links swing round on the pins 22 and 23 and the' l3 raminer is caught by the catch 52 and is out of the way ofthe breech should the'latter recoil so far. Thus by having the .rammer movable out of the path of the breech, the amount of variation of recoil beyond the minimum is immaterial. All that is required is a minimum recoil to cause the I rammer to be moved to the rear of the feeding station. Thus rounds of different lengths and different charges can be fired so long as a minimum "recoil for returning the rammer can be guaranteed.

.During the major part of the recoil the'rammer andlinks are however heldin their normal positions by the cylindrical surface of the stud 42 rubbing on the hinged cam 63 to prevent the links from swinging upwards which might cause the rammer to foul the underside of the cartridge caseof the next round. Meanwhile the arm 2| under pressure of its spring is feeding the rounds inthemagalzine forwardly so that a fresh round willsoon occupy the feeding position.

Shortly after the beginning of the recoil the depressor lever I36 is lifted-by the cam track I2! thus allowing the nose of the next round to move forward under pressure of the spring arm 2i until the nose engages with the nose guide I46.

The barrel moves back on counterrecoil and when'about of the recoil distance from its position of rest (about 8" in the case of the gun being described) thebreech is opened by its operating roller .393 running up the cam'ZElS, and the spent case is ejected. The arrangement is well knownand is shown in Figures 5 and '7. The earn 203 .is supported on .a pivot pin 493 fixed to the cradle .3, the arrangement being such that the cam can swing upwards about the pivot but not downwards. The roller 383 is mounted on a lever 5E3 pivoted inthe breech-ring. Towards the end of counterrecoil the roller meets the cam in the manner shown at Etta, Figure 5, and on further movement runs up and over the cam the outline of which is shown dotted, the resulting movement of the lever fiile opening the breechblock until it is held open by the extractors as the roller leaves the cam. The position where the roller is marked 353 shows the roller at the end of counterrecoil and with the breech-block open. When the breech shuts as a round is rammed, the roller moves down to position r3ii3b ready for recoil beneath the earn 203 which it lifts in passing. The remaining part of the counterrecoil movement causes the depressor lever 535 to move downwards by the action of the cam tracks on the rollers I26, and the nose of the fresh round is pushed down from the feeding position on to the top of the nose support plate I50 where it rests for an instant substantially in alignment with the groove therein. Immediately afterwards, the breech travels still further in counterrecoil and the nose of the round falls on to the extension I5I It will be seen that since the round is caused to move down quickly by a swinging movement about its base, and as the front portion is positively pushed down, there is apt to be considerable shock on engagement by the round with the top of the breech block, due to this feed and the weight of the round. In order to reduce this shock a cushioning lever 86 may be provided as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 10. This lever extends across the downward path of the round and is pivoted on a pin 8'! at one side of the breech ring. A coil spring 88 holds the lever up horizontally. As a round is fed down, the frontportion which is causedtofall vertically, strikes this lever and is'aligned with the breech.

I4 cushioning lever which yields 'to break mean of the round and swings down. A'tthe same time the round ismoved over by the cushioning lever to the:opposite side of the breech guide to that in'which the lever is pivoted. Thus the round slides down one side of the breech guide to the curvedctoprof'the extension or the sliding part of the breech block thus softening the fall. The round slides down. these surfaces until it has finally moved beyond the end of the cushioning The cushioning lever'being now relieved of the force'exerted by the'round, swings up again in readiness to receive the next round.

With the final movement of the depresser arm the catch 27 is turnedon its pivot by the movement of the rod 64 to release the rammer. "At about this time the pawl I37 is swung about its pivot by the movement of the round so that-the base of the round moves into the feeding position as its rim, held until .nowby the rim check pawl I29, is released as the pawl I23 is pushed back bythe finger I34.

The rammer, under the tension of the springs 33, files forwardly and moves downwardly, at first by gravity owing to the weight of the round and thereafter positively as the flat end of the lever H en agesthe sloping track ofthe-cam I8, along its path towards the breech loweringthe rear end of the'round as it carries it forwardly. The rammer movesforwards from a position generally indicated in Figure 2 by the chain line position marked 12a to the chain line-position marked 12b at about which latter position 'the pins or the rammer straddle or surround'the end of the cartridge case so that the round'is properly engaged bythe rammer and will move down therewith indue course. During this movement the lower right-hand pin 2l6 of the rammer (as viewed in Figure 4) presses against the lever or pawl I lI (Figures 2 and '7) and rotates it against the action of the spring so that the end of the projectile case is released and freeto move downwards as the rammer lug 2I2 slides off the end of the catch 54 and the rammer swings down around the axis of the pins 22 and 23. The movement is a composite one, being made up of the rotational movement about the pins 22 and 23 (that is substantially as indicated'by the arrow 81, Figure 2), and the horizontal movement derived from the movement of the carrier under the tension of the springs 33. The path of the rammer under these two movements is determined by the fixed cam I3 as explained below. Thus the nose of the round is fed downwardsinto line with the barrel clear of the chamber face so that when the rear end of the round is swung downwards and forwards through a path determined by the links and cam which are equivalent to a fixed guide track, the nose of the round quickly enters the breech.

Thus the nose of the round is presented to the breech quickly prior to the completion by the rammer of its swinging movement bringing the base of the round into alignment with the breech so that the round is caused to commence its entry into the breech at an angle to the axis of the bore. By this method of .feeding the round, considerable control is exercised over the round during the feeding movement as the rear end is held not only while the nose is presented to the breech but during ramming. It will be seen that if the whole round were allowed to fall bodily, no control could be exercised and the round wouldbe likelyto bounce or become out of alignment with the breech and would need to be trapped. Moreover in such case any loading tray to receive the round would have to be moved out of the way of the recoiling breech and again moved itno position for the next round after the counterrecoil. By the method of inserting a round according to this invention, the fact that the base is controlled enables the ramming to proceed without delay since the round may be said to be guided and carried into the breech, even though the nose, which is presented to the breech, may not be in complete alignment. It is enough that the small end of the nose is in position to enter the breech chamber. Moreover, the arrangement according to the invention enables the nose of a round at the feeding station to be located close up to the plane of the chamber face. Further, since most of the weight of the round is at the base end and only the front end slides on a stationary surface during ramming, friction is less than if the round were caused to lie on and slide along a loading tray. In either case, whether the nose is pushed down so that the round swings about its base before or during the lowering and pushing forward of the base, the advantages of the method of loading according to the invention are obtained, namely by dealing with the nose and base separately, whether simultaneously or in succession, and by guiding and carrying the round forward by its base, the round can be rapidly inserted and the rammer itself which operates as a guide and rammer can be moved out of the way by the recoil to a position to take the next round.

On the return movement of the rammer the flat face of the stud 42 engages the curved lead 243 of the hinged cam 43 as previously explained and causes the cam to swing outwards around the axis of the spindle i l and against the tension of the spring 116 so that this cam is not now operative. As the rammer continues to move forwards the flat end of the lever I! engages the under side of the cam l8 and, as will be seen in Figure 2, the final part of this cam is horizontal and thus the rammer is moved into its normal operative position and then moves along a path substantially in alignment with the axis CG of the gun, and feeds the fresh round into the breech, the action being exactly as previously described except that the feeding is done by the springs instead of by hand. The rammer stops as it strikes against a shock absorber 80 when the pins of the rammer are two or three inches from the back of the breech, and the round continues on under its momentum until it meets the extractors and the breech closes once more. The above described movements of rammer and round may be further studied by comparing the chain line positions of the round marked X, Y and Z. The round in position X, Figure 2 (see also Figure 3), is in the feeding position. As its nose is lowered and the base is engaged by the rammer the round occupies for an instant the position marked Y. The rammer then swings down and forwards until it occupies a position similar to that shown where it engages the round marked Z, but as explained above the rammer is moving forwardly as it swings down so the real position Z is farther to the right than actually shown.

Rebounding of the round R, Figure 11, as it strikes the chamber face is prevented by a retainer shoe I53, Figures 11, 12, 13, which is fixed to the top of the breech block 5 and is so disposed that the slightest rise of the breech block, after the extractors (not shown) are carried forward by the round which travels in the direction of the i6 arrow, brings the rim of the case behind the shoe so that the round cannot move back and out of the breech. The breech then closes in the usual manner and the gun will fire if the firing lever is manipulated, or it can be made to fire automatically by providing an automatic firing device not forming part of the present invention.

It will be seen that by the arrangement of parallel links the orientation of the rammer is maintained substantially the same throughout the whole of its movements, thus assisting in maintaining the correct alignment of the round being fed into the breech. By the arrangement employed of causing the rammer to swing up behind the carrier during recoil, it is possible to feed rounds automatically into the breech even when the recoil is less than the length of the rounds. In the construction described above the barrel was arranged to have a recoil greater than the length of the rounds, but it will be seen that by using the construction of rammer-head carried on parallel links described above, the gun itself may be designed to have a recoil only just sufficient to ensure that the rammer can get behind a round at the loading station. In such a case, the member which drives the carrier rearwardly will not need to be tripped. By providing a shorter recoil it is possible to obtain a higher rate of fire, and the construction of the loading mechanism is also simplified.

The foregoing description applies to guns where the length of recoil is sufficient in relation to the length of the round to allow the above method of operation to occur. In cases where the length of recoil is not sufficient, multiplying means would be required in order to withdraw the rammer-head the necessary distance.

The catch or stop member for holding the ram in its withdrawn position may also be controlled in any suitable way by a manually or foot operated member, so that, when desired, the automatic release of the catch or stop member can be prevented and thereby the firing of the gun where such is effected automatically can be stopped.

With the gun ready for firing, actuation of the manually or foot operated member will release the catch or stop member so as to start the firing cycle.

It will be observed that the arrangement is such that in the event of the automatic mechanism being put out of action, the gun can be hand served by disconnecting the disconnectable coupling and placing the rammer behind the catch member 52, and the carrier behind the catch 21. Thus the gun could continue in action since the rammer is held out of the way of the breech and spent cases, thus making hand serving possible.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A gun or the kind described having a cham ber-face and comprising an ammunition feeding station which is located aside the gun and behind the chamber-face and beside which feeding station the gun moves during recoil and counterrecoil, said station comprising means for holding the base of a round while the round is swung about its base to present its nose to the breech of the gun, a rammer having a position for the start of the ramming stroke behind the base of a round located in said station, means carried by said rammer to engage said base and convey it from said station toward the gun, said rammer being mounted for nonrectilinear movement in the first part of its ramming stroke to bring said 17 base into alignment with the gun axis and for rectilinear movement thereafter to complete its ramming stroke, resilient means for operating the rammer on its ramming stroke, said rammer being returned to the position for the start of the ramming stroke by the recoil of the gun.

2. A gun of the kind described having a chamber-face and comprising an ammunition feeding station which is located aside the gun and behind the chamber-face and beside which feeding station the gun moves during recoil and counterrecoil, said station comprising means for holding the base of a round While the round is swung about its base to present its nose to the breech of the gun, a rammer having a position for the start of the ramming stroke behind the base of a round located in said station, means carried by said rammer to engage said base and convey it from said station toward the gun, a rammer carriage movable parallel to the gun axis at one side thereof, said rammer being pivotally connected to said carriage for movement therewith in alignment with the gun am's and for swinging movement relative thereto into and out of said position for the start of the ramming stroke, resilient means for moving said carriage on the ramming stroke, said carriage being moved in the opposite direction by the recoil of the gun.

3. A gun of the kind described having a chamher-face and comprising an ammunition feeding station which is located aside the gun and behind the chamber-face and beside which feeding station the gun moves during recoil and counterrecoil, said station comprising means for holding the base of a round while the round is swung about its base to present its nose to the breech of the gun, a rammer having a position for the start of the ramming stroke behind the base of a round located in said station, means carried by said rammer to engage said base and convey it from said station toward the gun, said rammer being mounted for nonrectilinear movement during the first part of its ramming stroke to bring said base into alignment with the gun axis and for rectilinear movement thereafter, cam means for bringing said rammer into such alignment during the latter part of its ramming stroke, cam means for maintaining said rammer in such alignment during the major portion of its return stroke to avoid fouling a round in said feeding station, resilient means for operating said rammer on its ramming stroke said rammer being returned to the position for the start of the ramming stroke by the recoil of the gun.

4. A gun of the kind described having a chamber-face and comprising an ammunition feeding station which is located aside the gun and behind the chamber-face and beside which feeding station the gun moves during recoil and counterrecoil, said station comprising means for holding the base of a round while the round is swung about its base to present its nose to the breech of the gun, a rammer having a position for the start of the ramming stroke behind the base of a round located in said station means carried by said rammer to engage said base and convey it from said station toward the gun, a rammer carriage movable parallel to the gun axis at one side thereof, said rammer being pivotally connected to said carriage for movement therewith and swinging movement relative thereto, cam means for bringing said rammer into alignment with the gun axis during the latter part of its feeding stroke, cam means for maintaining said rammer in such alignment throughout the 18 major portion of its return movement to the position for the start of the ramming stroke to avoid fouling a round in said station, resilient means for moving said carriage in feeding direction, said carriage being moved in the opposite direction by the recoil of the gun.

5. A gun as defined in claim 3, the second of said cam means comprising a movable cam member which is stationary on the return stroke of the rammer and means for moving said movable cam member to inoperative position on the ramming stroke of said rammer.

6. A gun as defined in claim 2, said rammer being pivotally connected to said carriage by a parallel linkage.

'7. A gun as defined in claim 1, said means for holding the base of a round in said station comprising a movable device engaged and displaced by said rammer as it moves from the position for the start of the ramming stroke into supporting engagement with said base.

8. A gun as defined in claim 1, said feeding station comprising presser-means adapted to engage the nose of a round and displace it into position for entering the breech of the gun, and means for operating said presser-means in timed relationship with said rammer.

9. A gun as defined in claim 1, together with cushioning means on the breech of the gun to receive initially the nose of a round moved thereto.

10. A gun of the kind described having a chamber-face and comprising an ammunition receiver, a feeding station located aside the breech of the gun and behind the chamber-face, the gun moving beside and relative to said receiver and station during recoil and counterrecoil, said station comprising means for holding the base of a round while said round is swung about its base to present its nose to the breech, a rammer having a position for the start of the ramming stroke behind the base of a round located in said station means carried by said rammer to engage said base and convey it from said station toward the gun, said rammer being mounted for nonrectilinear movement during the first part of its stroke to bring said base into alignment with the gun axis and for rectilinear movement thereafter in alignment with the gun axis, resilient means for operating the rammer on its feeding stroke, stop means for holding said rammer against forward movement, means for feeding rounds in succession from said receiver to said station, round-control means to prevent premature feeding of a round to said station, and means operated by movement of the gun for controlling said stop means and round-control means in timed relationship.

11. A gun as defined in claim 10, said rammer being returned to the postion for the start of the ramming stroke by recoil of the gun and tensioning said resilient means, said stop means comprising a catch device engaging and holding said rammer in the position for the start of the ramming stroke, a movable member for releasing said catch device, and means movable with the gun for operating said member.

12. A gun as defined in claim 10, said roundcontrol means comprising movable supports adapted to hold the leading round in said receiver away from said feeding station, and means 013-- erated by movement of the gun for moving said supports to release the leading round from said receiver, at least one of said supports moving 19 into a position to arrest movement of the following round from said receiver.

13. A gun as defined in claim 10, said roundcontrol means comprising movable supports adapted to hold the leading round in said receiver away from said feeding station, and means operated by movement of the gun for moving said supports to release the leading round from said receiver, one of said supports being movable in one direction to release said leading round and in the opposite direction to engage the nose of said leading round after it has been fed to said station and move said nose into position for entering the breech of the gun.

14. A gun of the kind described having a chamher-face and comprising an ammunition feeding station located aside the gun and behind the chamber-face and beside which feeding station the gun moves during recoil and counterrecoil, said station comprising means for holding the base of a round while said round is swung about its base to present its nose to the breech of the gun, a rammer having a position for the start of the ramming stroke behind the base of a round located in said station and movable therefrom into supporting engagement with said base to convey it from said station toward the gun, a rammer carriage movable parallel to but at one side of the gun axis, and moved in one direction by therecoil of the gun, resilient means tensioned by the recoil-operated movement of the carriage for moving it in the opposite direction, stop means for holding said carriage at the end of its recoil-operated movement against the tension of said resilient means, and means operated by counterrecoil of the gun for releasing said stop means, said rammer being pivotally connected with said carriage for swinging movement relative thereto to bring the base of the round into alignment with the gun axis and for further rectilinear movement therewith to ram the round into the breech.

15. A gun as defined in claim 14, said-carriage being released from the movement imparted by the recoil of the gun at a predetermined point and said rammer thereafter swinging to its position for the start of the ramming stroke out of the way of further recoil of the gun.

16. A gun as defined in claim 14, said carriage being released from the movement imparted by the recoil of the gun at a predetermined point in its stroke, cam means preventing swinging movement of said rammer relative to said carriage during the predetermined portion of its stroke, said rammer swinging to the position for the start of the ramming stroke thereafter, and cam means for effecting swinging movement of said rammer into alignment with the gun axis during the first part of the feeding stroke of the carriage.

DESMOND WALTER MOLINS. FE'LIX FREDERIC RUAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 649,433 Burkins May 15, 1900 770,320 Schneider Sept. 20, 1904 934,325 Lehmann Sept. 14, 1909 1,360,523 Hadcock et a1 Nov. 30, 1920 1,517,758 Schneider Dec. 2, 1924 1,525,065 Browning Feb. 3, 1925 1 1,674,370 Methlin June 19, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 243,966 Italian Mar. 12, 1926 

